Chapter 12

   My mom drops me off at the band door and leaves. This was the last practice before the football game and I knew I had the show down. I can do it. I keep telling myself.

   "Mel, over here! Our section is practicing together!" Jordan says and I walk in the direction of his voice. "Okay, let's go through the show once," Jacob says.

   "Every mess up is five push-ups," Lexi finishes for him. Lexi was a ninth grader who supposedly has authority over me. Meaning she can give me push-ups. I've learned not to mess with her and now she's not as strict. Last semester I would go home crying because she was so mean to me.

   "Um, yeah, sure." Jordan murmurs. He knew how much I hated push-ups. "We need to lower the bar, I guess."

    He leads me to the field and we line up to march onto it. This was the hardest part. I had to have my feet in time, not step on Haylee, another girl in my section, and not let Lexi step on me. "Hup, hup, ready go."

   I take my first step and then the next. So far so good. "Turn," Haylee whispers for me. I smile and turn snapping my instrument to attention.

   "Another turn."

   I turn leaving my instrument where it was. "Hup, hup, ready go," Jacob says again changing the tempo he was clapping in.

   I wait for eight counts and then go. As I make sure I take consistent step sizes Lexi says, "You're on the hash, go left," I do as she says and get in my spot.

   "Hup, hup, ready go!" Jordan says once again. This time we turn and get on our knees. "Okay, so far, so good. Start setting the show.''

   Jordan claps and Lexi and Elizabeth both count. We run through the show and Lexi tells me she saw me mess up once during the second song turn. "You turned to the left, instead of the right. Then you're feet were out of time when you stepped with your left foot. Remember it's a switch."

   I nod and do my push-ups. "That was good, though. You're improving every day." Jordan says joyfully.

   "Yeah, but I haven't improved enough for the competition in two days... Or the football game for that matter. If I turn wrong it'll be noticeable!"

   "Mel, even I mess up sometimes. You really want to win this, don't you?"

   I nod.

   "You get upset even when you make the littlest mistakes."

   I nod again. I do get really upset over things like not having my toes up high enough to being in the wrong set.

   "You'll do fine tomorrow. I promise."